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Loss of Hastert's seat in special election is just the latest in string of problems for NRCC's Tom Cole.
AP Photo

For National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.), every week seems to bring a new set of problems. On Saturday night, things got even worse.

With Democrat Bill Foster’s victory in the Illinois 14th District special election, Democrats now hold the seats occupied only 21 months ago by former Speaker Dennis Hastert (Ill.) and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Texas) — the two GOP lawmakers who ran the House from 1998 to 2006.

Since September, Cole has faced a barrage of bad news:

• The NRCC lags behind the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by nearly $30 million in cash on hand.

• GOP House leadership endured an embarrassing scuffle when Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) tried to fire Cole’s top two staffers, during which Cole threatened to resign.

• There has been a wave of retirement announcements by veteran Republican lawmakers that will force the NRCC to defend what were once seen as safe GOP seats.

• Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) was indicted on 35 federal corruption charges, which puts another Republican-controlled district in play.

• And the FBI continues its criminal investigation into a brewing accounting scandal that centers on the former NRCC treasurer’s activities.

But the GOP’s defeat in Illinois’ special election Saturday may trump those setbacks, at least in the short term. Cole and the House Republican leadership are blaming the loss directly on GOP candidate Jim Oberweis. A dairy owner who lost three consecutive statewide elections before Saturday, Oberweis has a long history of political baggage. He won the recent nomination without receiving the support of his Republican primary rival, state Sen. Chris Lauzen.

“By itself, this would not be that big of a deal, but coupled with everything else it will just deflate the [House Republican] Conference,” said an aide to one top GOP lawmaker. “And symbolically, losing Hastert’s seat is like the toppling of the Saddam statue in Baghdad for Republicans.”

Cole and the NRCC are desperately spinning Oberweis’ defeat as an isolated incident that is not endemic of further GOP losses in the fall. NRCC Communications Director Karen Hanretty, new to the panel after the previous spokeswoman resigned last month, said, “The one thing 2008 has shown is that one election in one state does not prove a trend. In fact, there has been no national trend this entire election season.”

Democrats, however, note that the NRCC spent $1.2 million, one-fifth of its cash hoard, in backing Oberweis’ ultimate defeat. That comes on top of the $2 million-plus that Oberweis spent from his own pocket during the race. The DCCC spent more than $1 million running ads against Oberweis.

Democrats also point out that Hastert never took less than 64 percent in the solidly Republican district, carried handily by President Bush in both 2000 and 2004.

Even better from Democrats’ perspective, the efforts on behalf of Oberweis by Hastert, House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), their presumptive 2008 presidential nominee, were not enough to stave off Oberweis’ loss. All three Republican leaders had campaigned for Oberweis in recent weeks, with McCain attending a fundraiser for him last month that raised nearly $257,000.

House Republicans already faced a daunting political landscape as Election Day grows closer. Twenty-eight House Republicans have announced their retirements or have resigned this election cycle – and nearly half of those represent highly competitive districts.

Readers' Comments (537)

When is the GOP going to stop listening to the country club crony capitalists that are raping the American taxpayer, and heed the wisdom of James Dobson? Throw the bums out! The GOP Establishment and the Bush machine is a much bigger problem than either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. The scandals and indictments, the war profiteering and the incompetence, the out-of-control spending and the mediocre leadership at the top of the party, what else has to happen before there's an uprising? Dobson and other evangelicals should march out of the GOP and start over - and leave every Bush crony behind. Focus on the Family. Wiser words were never said.

It must be tough to be a Republican these days in the House of Representatives ? No money , a bunch of retirements , twelve years of control that turned into utter disaster ! Two Speakers were forced to resign for illicit affairs after they impeached , but could not convict Bill Clinton ? Then we got Republican leadership which covered up corruption , bribery , potential child molesters ? That " Contract for America " which Newt Gingrich swept into office with turned into a " Contract for Disaster " ? How about a roll call of villians : Hastert , Delay , Boehner , Ney , Foley , Renzi , Doolittle ?

The Republicans are spiraling into oblivion - the New Republican Party, setting sail on the Titanic with Capt. McCain, has be come the party to be defeated. The Country Club, Wall Street Journal, Neocon, don't defend America's borders, keep the illegals waltzing in, cheap labor, perpetual war, anti-middle class, sell-out Republicans will be history soon. In the next election they will go from bad to almost non-existent, and they couldn't deserve it more. Don't throw your vote away on a Republican. Vote Constitution Party or don't vote at all.

Senator John McCain presents himself as a maverick and a critic of the Iraq war. But a close read of his record indicates that his position on the Iraq war has consistently matched President George W. Bush?s.

Before The War: McCain used many of the same arguments as Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Cheney and President Bush when advocating going to war with Iraq.

During The War: Senator McCain repeatedly supported President Bush on the Iraq War ? voting with him in the Senate, defending his actions and publicly praising his leadership. Senator McCain praised Donald Rumsfeld as late as May 12, 2004, after the Abu Ghraib scandal. Senator McCain has constantly moved the goal posts of progress for the war ? repeatedly saying it would be over soon. Senator McCain opposed efforts to end the overextension of the military that is having a devastating impact on our troops. Senator McCain has consistently opposed any plan to withdraw troops from Iraq. Senator McCain has consistently demonized Americans who want to find a responsible way to remove troops from Iraq so that we can take the fight to al Qaeda.

The Future: Senator McCain now says he sees no end to the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

What do the Republicans expect? I truly believe The change is going to be from the top down, and it all started with a wink and a nod from the compassionate one, who is presumed to be the leader of the party. His blatant disdain for the people who elected him all across the board, and not having the guts to stand up to the rampant spending put forth by his own party, and wasting time money and lives on a policy in Iraq, that in the end will bear no fruit for the U.S.. He squandered most of the goodwill that centrist republicans offered him. I hate to think of the alternative of a Republican in th Whitehouse, but Bush has been bad for the party.

THE US GOVERNMENT SPONSORED SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE FOR LIFE the kind that's too "SOCIALIST" --if it's for you or your family-- Hey dummy, most republicans aren't against national health care, we just want to know how you are going to pay for it. It will bankrupt our economy. We already use 63 percent of the budget to pay for entitlements.

The Country Club, Wall Street Journal, Neocon, don't defend America's borders, keep the illegals waltzing in, cheap labor, perpetual war, anti-middle class, sell-out Republicans will be history soon. In the next election they will go from bad to almost non-existent, and they couldn't deserve it more.

The Republicans are spiraling into oblivion - the New Republican Party, setting sail on the Titanic with Capt. McCain, has be come the party to be defeated. The Country Club, Wall Street Journal, Neocon, don't defend America's borders, keep the illegals waltzing in, cheap labor, perpetual war, anti-middle class, sell-out Republicans will be history soon. In the next election they will go from bad to almost non-existent, and they couldn't deserve it more. Don't throw your vote away on a Republican. Vote Constitution Party or don't vote at all.

you're making a lot of the senses. the GOP has become the party of all of the multiple personalities except the smaller government!

Listen up, Republicans! Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

We gotta take these bastids! Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out.! I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!

Do we change our party platform just because 28 years of conservative rule has been an abject failure? NO!!!! Should we decry lobbyists, criminality and cronyism just because 37 of us were convicted of horrendous crimes in 2007 alone? NO!!!! Should we discontinue holding up the judiciary process by using cheap tricks just because the American people are threatening to throw us out of office on our heinies? Hellll NO!!!!

Awright, so snap those jockstraps and get back in the game. Win one for the great water-carrier, Rush Limbaugh! And remember . . we may be dead wrong, factsless, unethical, bigotted, delusional, and sadly-mistaken pathetic losers, but we've got the CORPORATE MEDIA ON OUR SIDE !!!!!!!!

diamtool, I read this article and intended to post a comment related to it, but I'd much rather just remark on how much you remind me of a sullen, ticked-off-at-the-world adolescent. What's wrong with you? Mommy not buy you those Hannah Montana concert tickets??? BTW: That's probably a picture of you, right? I'm right aren't I?

Byron travel, all you say is true somewhat, but the basic fact is Democrats do not have to live up to any moral or ethical code, they surely do not impose one on themselves and the party does not care that much about ehtical violations among there own members, so there is going to be a glaring difference between the two. I for one am happy when any politician gets the boot, it just would be nice to see a democrat take some responsibility for the actions of the rank and file. But as we know Democrats are pure in spirit and noble in cause, may we all pay homage to the Holy ones.